The Jefferson Parish public school system is investigating complaints that some African-American students were denied entry to its magnet schools for high-achieving students despite test scores that met the required threshold for entry.

The Jeremiah Group, a faith-based advocacy organization, recently raised the issue and has asked Superintendent Diane Roussel to consider retesting black students who sought admission to the magnet schools and specialized academies during the past three years but were denied admission.

Jeremiah leader Jackie Jones said the group has met with more than 100 parents about the issue.

"There are so many stories that we asked that she (Roussel) investigate and see who was denied and who wasn't denied as a result of testing,'' Jones said.

Schools spokesman Jeff Nowakowski said Roussel has assigned several staff members to look into the accusations and that the inquiry could take some time as administrators pore over test scores. When asked how many black students could be subject to retesting if irregularities were found, he said, "It could be minimal. It could be extensive.''

During the past six months, Jones said parents have complained to the organization that black children who were consistent honor roll students were denied the opportunity to take the test and that others were denied admission despite scores in the 90th percentile. She also said there were at least three cases in which test scores were missing for honor roll students who took the entrance test and were told they didn't pass. The parents in those cases had asked to see the test results and they could not be found, Jones said.

"That's problematic,'' she said. "Parents ought to be able to see the tests.''

Jones said the district did not communicate to families why children were denied admission.

Jeremiah is hoping that the magnet school issue and others, including a lack of parental access and a consistent policy for handling parents' grievances, will be addressed by district administrators and School Board members, who were confronted with the concerns by parents and Jeremiah leaders at a standing-room-only meeting Sunday.

"Parents don't want to rock the boat because they feel that their kids become targets,'' Jones said, saying that one parent ended up removing her child from a school because of a backlash after the parent complained about magnet school testing. "The more she pushed, the more problems the child had. Parents say you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.''